Aquitaine Pool Paradise: Your Dream Excideuil Holiday Home Awaits!
Aquitaine Pool Paradise: My Dream Excideuil Holiday Home… Almost! (A Messy, Honest Review)
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because I'm about to spill the tea (and possibly a wine stain or two) on Aquitaine Pool Paradise in Excideuil. This place… well, it’s got potential, folks. Huge potential. But, as with all things in life, it's not quite paradise. Not yet. Here's the lowdown, warts and all, because let's be real, who wants a perfectly Photoshopped review?
SEO & Metadata Blitz (because, you know, Google):
- Keywords: Aquitaine Pool Paradise, Excideuil, Holiday Home, France, Dordogne, Accessible, Pool, Spa, Family Friendly, Wifi, Dining, Review, Accommodation, Vacation, Travel, Luxury, Relaxation, Cleanliness, Safety, Accessibility, Wheelchair Accessible, Pool with a View.
- Meta Description: Honest review of Aquitaine Pool Paradise in Excideuil, France! Explore accessibility, dining, spa, family-friendly aspects, cleanliness, safety, and overall experience. Find out if this holiday home truly lives up to its dream-like name.
Accessibility: The First Hurdles (and Some Triumphs!)
Okay, so I’m going to be upfront: I wasn’t specifically testing the accessibility aspects. But, I did pay close attention, because honestly, it's 2024! I need to know. The website boasts about facilities for disabled guests, and the information promised a lot. However, I noticed some things, and this is where the "almost" comes in. There’s an elevator, which is fantastic. Huge win. However, navigating the property with a wheelchair might be tricky in certain areas, depending on the room locations. The walkways could be a little narrow. More information would be super helpful beforehand. This feels unfinished.
On-site accessible restaurants / lounges: Couldn't fully evaluate this. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume some areas are. However I did notice lots of stairs
Wheelchair accessible: See above. Some wins, but more information needed.
Internet: The Digital Life Force (And Sometimes the Weak Signal)
Yeah, internet. Let’s talk about the internet, because let's be honest, it's the lifeblood of modern existence, even on holiday.
- Internet Access: Yep, they’ve got it!
- Free Wi-Fi in all rooms!: Huzzah! This is a must in my books.
- Internet [LAN]: Yes, there's also LAN. Which is a plus if you are into some serious gaming or need super fast speeds.
- Internet services: Standard stuff, nothing mind-blowing.
- Wi-Fi in public areas: Pretty decent coverage. No complaints.
However, and this is a minor grumble, the signal strength in my room, number 21, was… spotty. I mean, I’m not asking for lightning-fast fiber optic, but I like to stream Netflix without it buffering every five seconds. One night, I just wanted to watch a terrible rom-com in peace! Had to move closer to the door. Sigh.
Things to Do, Ways to Relax: Spa-tacular (with a caveat)
Okay, this is where Aquitaine Pool Paradise really shines. Or, at least, promises to shine.
- Body scrub, Body wrap, Massage, Pool with view, Sauna, Spa, Spa/sauna, Steamroom, Swimming pool, Swimming pool [outdoor]: Tick, tick, tick, tick! This list is dreamy.
- Fitness center, Gym/fitness: Nice to have, in case you didn't eat one too many croissants and want to feel guilty.
- Foot bath: Uh, I’m intrigued! I didn’t actually partake, but it sounds delightful.
The swimming pool, though… oh, the swimming pool! It looks absolutely gorgeous in the pictures. Perched on the edge with that view? I spent hours just staring at it, dreaming of diving in. But the water was freezing the first few days. I blame the weather, not Aquitaine Pool Paradise, but still, that first plunge was a shock to the system!
Cleanliness and Safety: Trying Really Hard (Which is Good!)
Alright, crucial stuff. Because, you know, we’re all still a bit paranoid about germs, right?
- Anti-viral cleaning products: Good to see.
- Cashless payment service: Essential.
- Daily disinfection in common areas: Check.
- Hand sanitizer: Everywhere.
- Hot water linen and laundry washing: Phew!
- Hygiene certification: Always a good sign.
- Individually-wrapped food options: Less wasteful than you'd think!
- Physical distancing of at least 1 meter: Generally observed, but sometimes a bit tricky in the breakfast buffet.
- Professional-grade sanitizing services: Reassuring.
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Excellent.
- Safe dining setup: They’re trying.
- Sanitized kitchen and tableware items: Thank goodness.
- Staff trained in safety protocol: They seemed to be.
- Sterilizing equipment: Yep.
- Room sanitization opt-out available: Nice touch.
I felt relatively safe, which is a huge relief. They're taking this seriously. But, I might have caught a head cold, but that's probably my fault.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: A Mixed Bag
Food, glorious food… Aquitaine Pool Paradise had potential, but.
- A la carte in restaurant, Asian breakfast, Asian cuisine in restaurant, Bar, Bottle of water, Breakfast [buffet], Breakfast service, Buffet in restaurant, Coffee/tea in restaurant, Coffee shop, Desserts in restaurant, International cuisine in restaurant, Poolside bar, Restaurants, Room service [24-hour], Salad in restaurant, Snack bar, Soup in restaurant, Vegetarian restaurant, Western breakfast, Western cuisine in restaurant: That is a lot of choice.
- Alternative meal arrangement: Available. Fantastic!
- Happy hour: Hmmm. Sadly, it was slightly too expensive.
The breakfast buffet was… a bit hit-or-miss. Sure, there was a great mix of food. However, the bread was stale on two mornings, and one morning I swear I saw a rogue fly buzzing around the croissants. I swear. Not great. But the coffee was actually pretty decent. A win, after all.
I had room service one night (guilty!). 24-hour service? Fantastic. The burger was… okay. Needed more seasoning. But hey, they were trying!
Services and Conveniences: Good… Mostly
- Air conditioning in public area, Audio-visual equipment for special events, Business facilities, Cash withdrawal, Concierge, Contactless check-in/out, Convenience store, Currency exchange, Daily housekeeping, Doorman, Dry cleaning, Elevator, Essential condiments, Facilities for disabled guests, Food delivery, Gift/souvenir shop, Indoor venue for special events, Invoice provided, Ironing service, Laundry service, Luggage storage, Meeting/banquet facilities, Meetings, Meeting stationery, On-site event hosting, Outdoor venue for special events, Projector/LED display, Safety deposit boxes, Seminars, Shrine, Smoking area, Terrace, Wi-Fi for special events, Xerox/fax in business center: Basically, they've thought of everything.
- Cash withdrawal: Super helpful.
- Contactless check-in/out: Smooth as butter.
- Daily housekeeping: The cleaning staff were lovely. Always a friendly smile and a clean room.
- Luggage storage: Handy.
The concierge was a lifesaver! They helped me book a taxi, find a decent local winery (highly recommend!), and even tracked down a lost phone charger. They deserve a medal.
For the Kids: Sounds Promising (I’m Not a Parent, So… )
- Babysitting service, Family/child friendly, Kids facilities, Kids meal: Seemed well-equipped. I saw kids running around everywhere, having what appeared to be a whale of a time, which makes me suspect it's family-friendly.
Access, Safety, Getting Around: The Basics
- CCTV in common areas, CCTV outside property, Check-in/out [express], Check-in/out [private], Couple's room, Exterior corridor, Fire extinguisher, Front desk [24-hour], Hotel chain, Non-smoking rooms, Pets allowed unavailablePets allowed, Proposal spot, Room decorations, Safety/security feature, Security [24-hour], Smoke alarms, Soundproof rooms, Airport transfer, Bicycle parking, Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site], Car power charging station, Taxi service, Valet parking All the usual safety and convenience features present and correct.
**Available in all rooms: The Room Itself!
Escape to Tuscany: Your Dream Belvilla Awaits in Castelfiorentino!
Okay, buckle up buttercup, because this ain't your grandma's itinerary. We're heading to a modern holiday home in Excideuil, Aquitaine, France… a place with a POOL, mind you. And my brain? Well, it's already packing. Let's see if we can actually get a coherent schedule out of this… chaos.
THE "OH MY GOD, WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING THIS" AQUITAINE ADVENTURE (aka, the Itinerary of Mostly-Good Intentions)
Day 1: Arrival and Existential Pool Contemplation (plus, the Cheese Incident)
- Morning (like, hopefully before noon, but who am I kidding?): Flight from Wherever-We-Are-Currently to… somewhere near Bordeaux. Or maybe Limoges. Okay, I need to check the bloody flight details. Sigh. The anxiety is already starting. I ALWAYS forget something. Definitely the adaptors. Definitely.
- Afternoon: Assuming we survived the flight (and the inevitable armrest wars), we're picking up the rental car. Pray to the car gods it’s not a stick shift. I swear, if I stall at a busy roundabout in a foreign country, I might just set the car on fire and walk.
- Late Afternoon/Early Evening: Arrive at the holiday home in Excideuil! Unpack. Immediately inspect the pool. Like, really inspect it. Check for mysterious green stuff. Is it shallow enough to actually swim in, or just a decorative pond? I'm putting all my hopes and dreams into this pool. It's going to be the highlight of the trip.
- Evening: Grocery run. This is where things always go wrong. I'm convinced French supermarkets are designed to confuse tourists. Finding cheese. Oh dear god, the cheese. So many CHEESES. I will choose the one that smells the least offensive because I am a cheese coward. "Oh, this looks nice!" I'll say, pointing at something that is definitely aged beyond the point of edibility. Then immediately regret the purchase when I open it.
- Evening (part 2): Attempt to cook dinner. Probably something ambitious. Fail miserably. Order pizza. Or, you know… cheese and crackers. More cheese.
Day 2: Exploring the Region (and Dealing with the Roadside Pee Incident)
- Morning: Sleep in. Obviously.
- Mid-Morning: Finally, some exploration! Drive around the Dordogne region. Visit a charming little village with cobblestone streets. Take approximately 300 photos (mostly of the same thing… a cute door, a flower pot, etc.). Pretend I know what I'm looking at.
- Lunch: Find a restaurant. Pray it isn't full of tourists. Order something in my embarrassingly limited French. Hopefully, I won't accidentally order a plate of… tripe.
- Afternoon: Visit a chateau. Pretend to be fascinated by the history. Secretly just thinking about the pool. Pool… pool… pool. Or, the more likely scenario, getting totally lost in the French countryside and having to pull the car over and pee behind a bush. It's going to happen, I can just feel it. Don't judge.
- Evening: Wine tasting! (Or, more accurately, wine sampling followed by me getting tipsy and buying the most expensive bottle because I think I'm suddenly a sophisticated wine connoisseur.) Dinner at the holiday home. More likely a microwave meal with a side order of regret.
Day 3: The Pool Day & The Great Book Debacle
- Morning: Pool time! Hours dedicated to chlorine-scented bliss. I'm going to read. I'm going to sunbathe. I'm going to practice my terrible French. Maybe I'll learn the proper French word for "sunscreen."
- Mid-day: Oh no. Where's my book? I've already read a third of it. It was the last book I read, the one that I picked up at the airport. I can't finish reading it! I need a new book. Gasp! I could learn French! That sounds good in theory, I'll buy a French book… and… look at the pretty pictures?
- Afternoon: Okay, enough of the book drama. Lounging, swimming, and maybe even attempting a graceful dive. (Emphasis on attempting). The pool is the only thing holding me together right now. I'm basically Gollum but with a pool instead of a ring. "My precious pool…"
- Evening: After a day of sun and pool-induced exhaustion, we'll probably be eating again. Maybe order some takeout. Or maybe some French bread with cheese. Yes, it's always cheese. And, I suppose, a good bottle of wine. And, possibly, watching the sun set over the Dordogne countryside, the epitome of vacation.
Day 4: Market Mayhem & the Lost Passport Panic
- Morning: Head to a local market! So much food. So many colors. So many people. Feeling overwhelmed already. Will try to haggle for something, probably fail miserably. Buy way too much produce. Probably end up with a basket overflowing with apricots I'll never eat.
- Mid-day: Oh God, my passport! Where's my passport? Are you kidding me? This is the sort of thing that always happens. It's in the safe. Right? No, no, no… I am going to lose it or leave it on the train, it's a given.
- Afternoon: The only thing I can think about would be to call the emergency hotline, file a report, and get the rental car back so that you can explore.
- Evening: We'll just be back at the house, eat some groceries, and try to survive the day.
Day 5: Departure (or, the Aftermath of Vacation)
- Morning: Pack. Pray I haven't forgotten anything vital. Curse myself for buying too many souvenirs that won't fit in my suitcase. The airport is always stressful.
- Afternoon: Return the rental car. Hope it wasn’t scratched. Hope I didn't accidentally leave a dead cheese in the backseat.
- Evening: Flight home. Reflect on the chaos, the cheese, the pool, and the utter, glorious mess of it all. Already planning the next trip. Because, despite the imperfections, the moments of near-panic, and the general sense of bewildered tourist-ness, it was… perfect.
Important Notes:
- This itinerary is a suggestion. Life will almost certainly throw curveballs. Embrace the chaos.
- French phrases I need to learn: "Where is the bathroom?" "Do you have vegetarian options?" "I would like more wine, please."
- Most important goal: Don't die.
- Second most important goal: Enjoy the pool.
And that, my friends, is the plan. Wish me luck. I'm going to need it. Now, where did I put my passport…
Tavistock Holiday Home Paradise: Garden, Swim Centre & Plymouth Nearby!
So, Aquitaine Pool Paradise... sounds... idyllic. Is it *really*?
Okay, look, I'm not going to lie. The pictures? Yeah, they're pretty. And the *idea* of it? Sun-drenched days, sparkling pool, endless rosé... *chef's kiss*. But real life? Well, it's... real. The pool is glorious, don't get me wrong. We spent like, 70% of our time in it. Though, one day, the filter decided to stage a revolt. Water cloudy, leaves everywhere. It took us a *day* to unclog the darn thing. Turns out, my husband, bless his heart, thought he was being helpful by "de-leafing" the surface *with a rake*. He basically pulverized them and made a leaf smoothie. But still, it was paradise more often than not. Just… with a slight tinge of chlorine and a whole lot of leaf fragments at times. Consider yourself warned!
What’s the deal with Excideuil? Is it… boring?
Boring is *relative*, isn't it? Excideuil is charming, mostly! It's not Ibiza, let's be clear. Think cobblestone streets, a market (if you time it right!), and a castle that looks vaguely menacing in a *good* way. It's perfect if you want to escape the chaos of well, everything. I’d say it's *deliberately* not exciting. One day, we went to the local boulangerie for croissants. I swear, the baker was so laid back, he made the croissants look as though they were still asleep – perfect! If you are looking for pulse-pounding thrills? Probably not the place. If you crave tranquility, however, Excideuil delivers. And the local wine? Oh, the local wine…
How easy is the booking process? I'm picturing endless forms and a bureaucratic nightmare.
Honestly? Way easier than I expected. Seriously, I was bracing myself for a Kafka-esque experience, but it was pretty smooth sailing. The actual booking? Simple. The pre-arrival emails? Helpful. The only hiccup (because there’s *always* a hiccup) was finding the key. We got there in the dark and after a 10-hour drive. I swear, the instructions read like a treasure hunt. “Look for the ceramic frog… then the oddly shaped bush… then the… oh god, the neighbors are watching.” It created a bit of a comedy moment, especially when we finally found it tucked under a *different* frog. But hey, it adds to the charm, right? (And yes, I definitely have a favorite frog, and his name is Bartholomew. Don't judge me.)
What about groceries? Is there a supermarket nearby? And what's the wifi situation actually like?
Groceries? Yes, there are supermarkets nearby. You’ll probably need a car, don't expect to walk with a shopping cart. We found a decent enough Carrefour, and several smaller shops. (Pro tip: Always buy more wine than you think you'll need. Trust me.) And the wifi? Ah, the wifi. Let's just say it's… *characterful*. Perfect for checking emails and maybe uploading a *very* low-res photo to Instagram. Streaming movies on Netflix? Hmmm, that might be a stretch. Embrace the digital detox! We did. And it was… kind of wonderful. Actually, it was probably the best part. We actually *talked* to each other. Shocking, I know.
Let's be honest: the pool is the main attraction, isn't it? Tell me about the pool!
Okay, yes. The pool. The HEART of the whole darn thing. It's everything. Big! Clean! Refreshing! I'm getting all emotional just thinking about it. Imagine: crystal-clear water, the sun beating down, a slight breeze rustling the leaves... And the best part? It's *private*. No screaming children (mostly!), no overly-aggressive water aerobics. Just pure, unadulterated… pool euphoria. We spent *hours* in it. Floating, reading, sipping wine (a theme here, clearly). My husband even tried to teach our toddler how to swim. Mostly, it involved a lot of giggles and the occasional mouthful of pool water. But there was this *one* day. The day I finally conquered the inflatable swan. I spent a good twenty minutes trying to get on. I slipped, I slid, I nearly drowned myself in the process. My husband was rolling on the grass, laughing. But damn it, I got on! It was a moment of pure, unadulterated triumph. I felt like a queen. A slightly damp queen. A queen on a *swan*! It's a memory I'll cherish forever. And now, I can't look at any inflatable swan without feeling an intense surge of pride. Seriously, I love that pool.
Are there any outdoor areas besides the pool? What are the neighbors like?
Yes, there are! Big, beautiful gardens that I mostly admired from the pool. There's an outdoor dining area, perfect for those long, lazy lunches. And a BBQ (which my husband *insisted* on using). The neighbors? They seemed nice enough. We mostly interacted in waves and smiles. The family next door had a particularly enthusiastic dog (loved the kids, hated the mailman, but that's the dog story), and there was a lovely lady who seemed to *really* enjoy listening to the sound of our pool pump every day. Bless her heart, I don't know how she did it.
What are some practical tips for making the most of the stay? Any hidden costs I should be aware of?
Pack bug spray! Those little critters love the Dordogne as much as you do. And seriously, buy extra wine. And don't forget the sunscreen! Those French sun rays are no joke. As for hidden costs… There might be a cleaning fee, so check the small print. And factor in gas for driving around and exploring. But, honestly, the biggest cost? The temptation to stay forever. (And maybe the new inflatable swan I’ve now purchased.)
Did anything unexpected happen? Any disasters? Or moments of pure joy you'd like to share?
Disasters? Well, apart from the leaf smoothie incident? Not really. There was a rogue squirrel who tried to steal my croissant (that little bandit!), but we scared him off. I did manage to lock myself out of the house one afternoon when I went to get some sunscreen. Luckily, the window was open, the view was gorgeous, and the air was amazing! Moments ofLocal Hotel Tips
